Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-18
FINDING NEW BEAUTIES
IN THE FIRST ATTEMPT OF CON-
GRESS TO RUN THE RAILWAYS.

CHESS ~ NUN IF1G hAlWHrO.
The short Lines Think the Act Was Made
Especially for Their UndoIng-The Spec
linen Case of the p, ID. 4 E.-An Extra
Session wanted-John Robinson's Plain
tive Plant.
WASHINGTON CRY, April 1S-The Peoria
delegation which came here to beg the in
ter-state commerce commission to suspend
the fourth section at Peoria raised question
or a whole series of questions that are en-
tirely different from any that were dis
cussed while the bill was under considera-
ton in congress There the main objection
urged against the law was that, as railroads
are not likely to reduced their local rates,
the operation of the fourth section would
raise the through rates, but when railroads
were spoken of people generally meant
half a dozen of the great trunk lines. The
smaller roads that bring produce from the
farm to the trunk lines were not thought Of
Messrs. J. L. Lee and O. E. Hopkins came
here in behalf OF the Peoria, Decatur &
Evansville road, the former as counsel and
the latter as an officer of the road
Mr.. Hopkins puts the thing about as fol-
lows: His road runs from Peoria TO Evansville
The direction is mainly north and south, and
for outlets at both ends the road is depend
emit upon the great trunk lines. The lines
have fixed rate of 25cents par hundred east
from Chicago as unit on which other rates
are based. Peoria rates are 10 per cent
higher than Chicago This gives Peoria
2L5 cents. The Peoria, Decatur & Evans
vile is crossed by five trunk lines, and every
point Of crossing is a competing point, not to
count nine other functions with minor roads,
which are also in smaller degree Compel
ing points. If the Peoria & Evansville road
hauls grain from Peoria to Nation and then
turns it over to through line to be
hauled east, the total rate is Us cents,
per 100, of which ; cents is for ter
minal charges at New York, and the rest is
prorated on mileage between the two lines,
and the Peoria roads get 2 d cents That be-
ing the rate at the points of intersection with
Il trunk lines, the road is prohibited from
charging any more at the intermediate points,
and consequently , A. cents per 100 is all the
road can get. Under the state law it has
been getting 10 cents, and Mr.. Hopkins in
sists that his road can't make the cut and
live. Prior to April he was taking one
fifth Of the gram shipped outof Peoria Sine.
April ] be had no; sent out a carload of
grain from Peoria. and could not, because,
in order to get what he deemed a living rate
at other points, he made a unit rate which
was higher than the Peoria rate, consequently
be gave up all the Peoria business, AMI in re
turn got a trifi4 higher rates for his business
from points below
The explanation of Mr.. Hopkins illustrates
one phase of their grievance Another is
that by the advancing of through rates to
the west it viii he impossible for them to
ship whisky to California This BILL" said
Mr.. Hopkins, was not opposed by the Peun-
sylvanla and the New York Central. They
can stand it. 1t is we littla fellows who
oughn't to stand il. They have advanced
their net through rates and stopped giving
commissions, 81 they are actually better off
than they were before, but we are between
the inter state commerce law on one side AMI
these trunk lines on the other If this Law is
to be enforced Gould and Vanderbilt and
Garrett and the Pennsylvania company can
have all the intersecting roads in the country
on their own terms. The law is absolutely
in the interest Of the monopolieS"
When there was Incorporated into the law
the safety-yalve allowing the commissioner,
to suspend the fourth section. the only con-
tinGency that was anticipated as demand
ing this was the competition of the lakes and
the Mississippi river with the railroads But
now every navigabie stream is looming UT
as factor in the hmitless problem. The
competition of the Illinois river is one of the
reasons why the Peoria roads insist that thew
should be exempted from the operation of
the fourth section 1t is already apparent
that the commission can not possibly listen
to arguments on and separately consider
every demand for the suspension Of the
fourth section. The cases are far too nu.
merUus, The question being asked now
Is whether the commission will sus-
pend the long-anl-short- haul section for
the entire country and when congress meet.
ask for its repeal, or whether it will enforce
this section every where after the ninety day.
let the results be what they may A gentle
man who has just met aad talked will
Judge Dillon in New York on this subject
sail the judge thought the commission would
have to take the latter course-enforce tht
laws congress obviously intended il
should be enforced, and let congress shoulder
the responsibilities. "lt the COMMISSION
gentlemen in the government, there wouIt
be special session of congress here inside OF
thirty days to amend OF repeal the law